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Opinion

Dr. Tom LaHue: Our hidden and threatened water supply

Santa Cruz Sentinel, 3/9/13

Many coastal communities worldwide that rely on groundwater are
experiencing water shortages and risk of seawater intrusion. We have
an opportunity now to protect our groundwater aquifers so they can
continue to provide a safe and sustainable water supply.

In recognition of National Groundwater Awareness Week, March
10-16, here are some facts about our local groundwater resources and
the Soquel Creek Water District.

1. Our district is 100 percent dependent on groundwater in the
Soquel-Aptos area to meet all of our customers' water needs. The
city of Santa Cruz is the only major water utility that obtains most
of its water from streams and rivers. In the whole county, about 80
percent of our water is from underground.

2. Replenishment of our local groundwater resources begins with
rain that falls on the oceanside of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Less
than 20 percent of that rain seeps into the ground for
recharge, and this amount is predicted to lessen with climate
change.

3. The district serves an area that extends from 41st Avenue in
Capitola to La Selva Beach. Our water supply must meet the needs of
37,000 residents, 18,000 jobs, 22 parks and 18 schools.

4. When more groundwater is pumped than is replenished by
rainfall, groundwater levels are lowered and seawater will progress
inland and contaminate the fresh water supply. Seawater intrusion is
virtually impossible to reverse.

5. The groundwater resources available to the district are
dangerously low. The district board of directors is committed to
restoring the groundwater basin to levels that would protect our
groundwater supply from seawater intrusion, not for just the next
few years, but for the next 50 or 100 years or longer.

6. In addition to creating supply shortages for people,
groundwater levels that are too low can be environmentally
detrimental since groundwater feeds streams during the dry months.
Maintaining summer stream flows is important to protect threatened
and endangered fish.

7. Expert hydrogeologists have concluded that groundwater
withdrawals must be reduced by approximately 35 percent for at least
20-30 years to restore groundwater levels that would be protective
against seawater intrusion, even without considering climate change.

8. Water conservation is critical. District customers currently
use 64 percent less water than the California average. Water
conservation must be a way of life in our community.

9. The district has conducted thorough evaluations of all known
options to address our groundwater overdraft problem and ensure a
long-term, sustainable, affordable and safe water supply.

10. A combination of additional water conservation and
desalination is currently the only option that would provide a
sufficient, safe and sustainable source of water supply to
supplement our reduced groundwater availability for the foreseeable
future.

A report on the potential environmental impacts and possible
solutions of the proposed regional desalination project (in
conjunction with the city of Santa Cruz) is expected to be released
this spring. The district board of directors will not make a
decision about constructing that project until we have reviewed the
environmental impact report and received public input.

Our local groundwater may be out of sight, but should not be out
of mind. It is important for us all to educate ourselves about our
water supply and learn how we can be a part of the solution. Check
www.soquelcreekwater.org

Dr. Tom LaHue is president of the board of directors of Soquel
Creek Water District.